Formation of Solid Solutions Between Racemic and Enantiomeric Citalopram Oxalate

The X-ray powder diffractograms of racemic citalopram oxalate and (S)-citalopram oxalate are very similar, but the melting point of the racemate is higher than that of the pure enantiomer. The higher melting point indicates that the racemate is a racemic compound, rather than a conglomerate. The crystal structure of the enantiomer contains two molecules of (S)-citalopram in the asymmetric unit. The conformation of the two molecules is different but they approximate mirror images of each other if the aromatic groups are interchanged. The crystal structure of the racemate is essentially isostructural with that of the enantiomer, having almost the same cell parameters but containing a crystallographic inversion centre that is not retained in the enantiomer structure. The closely-comparable crystal structures permit solid solutions to be formed between racemic and enantiomeric citalopram oxalate. Phase diagrams of the (R)-citalopram and (S)-citalopram oxalate system are constructed, and they show that solid solutions are formed at all ratios of the two enantiomers. Chirality 23: 408-416, 2011. (c) 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.